How Onboarding Priorities Vary By Level

George Bradt
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When it comes to onboarding, one size most definitely does not fit all. Everyone moving into a new role should converge into the organization before trying to evolve it. This involves assimilating into the business and the culture. (Yes, those are different.) It’s not an either-or choice. Everyone needs to do both. The difference is that senior leaders should focus more on culture first than on the business while mid-level managers should do the opposite.

People going to visit Machu Picchu in Peru generally route through the ancient Inca capital, Cusco. Order matters. Cusco sits about 11,000 feet above sea level. Machu Picchu altitude is about 8,000 feet. Some find it better to go to Machu Picchu first to adjust to the altitude and then circle back to Cusco. Others find it better to go to Cusco first to understand the Inca heritage so they can appreciate Machu Picchu better when they get there.

Machu Picchu by George Bradt

The question is whether it is better to tend to your physical needs or intellectual needs first. It's a stark trade-off so you must make a choice.

When asked whether she thought it was more important for new leaders to adjust to the business or the culture first, Cornerstone International Group’s Alejandra Aranda of Chile first said “both.” But then she paused and suggested it depended on level.

Those coming in at middle levels should dig into understanding the business while learning about the culture. But those at the organization’s highest levels must focus on culture first. What matters is not so much what they do, but how they lead.

Aranda is what the group’s chairman, Simon Wan describes as NICE (Networked, International, Credible, Engaged). She is an executive search consultant who leverages her experience and knowledge to go well beyond merely sourcing potential candidates to search for, assess and select culturally and business appropriate executives at the most senior levels. She gets the difference between business and cultural integration.